, 1887-06-28
NEW cANNleAL TRIBES.
Tho Discoveries of Capt. Van Gels Along
tho Great lIobanEI Eiyer.

Inc DiscoNories OF Capt. Van Cele Along
the Great SIobanGi Eiver.
Last fall the Congo state sent Capt.
Van Gele, one of Stanley's f~avorite
officers, in the steamer Lenry Reed to
make further explorations upon the
MobanSi river, the great northern aGluent
of the Congo, whose Importance Mr..
Grcnfcll was the first to discover. Van
Cello did not ascend the river quite as far
as Grenfcll, being prevented by rapids
through which Grcnfcll had been ablo to
push his steamer at low water when the
current was slower. He, however, took
tune to explore, while Grenfell's journey
was nothing more than a hurried recon-
noissance- Van Gele made some very
interesting discoveries. ue found, for
instance, three Little tributaries, up which
he pushed his steamer for a total dis
lance Of 2O7 miles. 1t is only three
years since Stanley estimated that the
blobangi itself added only about $50
miles to tho n~avigable waters of tho
Congo basin. Now the problem is,
whether tho Mobangl or the KassGi de-
serves distinction rs the Congo's greatest
tributary.
On the fIghiri affiuent Of the river and
also on the Mobangi, about 500 miles
from its mouth, Van Gcle found the
most Gensely populated districts he lad
seen in Africa. Tho left bank of the
great river was an uninterrupted success
sion of villages for about seventy miles.
Those who imagine that the depths Of
Africa are an almost voiceless solitude
shoull read Van Cele's brief account of
the animation and hustle he witnessed all
along this ~populous river.
The sccne on the river in tho morning,
no says, 10 one of extraordinary anima-
ton. lie often met as many as 800
cancer swiftly blowing through the
water. Tho INC were chiefly filed
with women and children. Tho women
wero leaving the village to go to the
fals and begin tho agricultural labors
of the day. Other parties in the canoes
were setting out for the fish nets, to
gather in the Gnny harvest that had
collected since the previous day. The
river swarms with fish, the land yields
rich returns of oil tropical produce, and
thousands Of natives along tho river DO
not know what famine means. They
have, besides, fool upon which
most of tho world cannot count, as these
natives nre among h greatest Of canni-
balls.
Quite a number of men
the women to the fields, but not to take
part in filing the soil. They let the
women ~moaopoliza the rude iron hoes,
while the men stand around with wea-
pons in their hands to protect the toilers.
Without protection there is always Ian
ger that the women will be surprised and
dragged OF by hostile tribes.
All these river tribes send expeditions
against N another for the solo purpose
of procuring victims for their cannibal
feasts. Capt. Van Gele says that all the
enemies they kill in battle ere eaten, and
that the same fate soon ovcrtakes the
prisoners they carry home with them.
Before ii exploration of the Congo Val
ley the belief was widespread that can
nibalism had greatly decreased, and that
there were comparatively few people who
were still addicted to the horrid practice.
IL all his travels, Livingstone never saw
o cannibal tribe with tho possible ezcep-
ton of the Mauyema. but the opening
~ Of the CONGO basin has revealed the
feet that tie world never knew before
where cannibalism was most prevalent.
There arc undoubtedly hundreds of thou
sands Of people in that region among
whom cannibalism Is a confirmed and
most cherished habit.
Capt. Van Gcle says that nowhere in
Africa has he seen fisheries of equal ex-
tent except at Stanley Falls. The stakes
marking the position of the nets cover
many acres. All these tribes orc tall and
powerful, and il form they nre splendid
specimens of physical beauty. New York
Sun.